Research

Our world-class researchers are committed to the advancement of scientific knowledge. Based in a thriving science precinct and with a culture of collaboration, our researchers are renowned for discovery and impact.

Julie's research interests include climate extremes, decadal variability and the role of the Antarctic ozone hole in shifting storm tracks. She spent more than a decade at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and a number of years at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in the United States and still maintains strong collaborative ties with colleagues there.

Peter specialises in the Interpretation and modelling of regional potential field data, crustal architecture and evolution, mineral system analysis. In addition, Peter's interests are field based structural mapping, orogenic processes and Proterozoic tectonics.

Ghyslaine Boschat

Julie Boyce

Assistant Lecturer

Julie’s research interests are the physical volcanology and geochemistry of intraplate basaltic volcanoes. She studies young volcanoes in the active Newer Volcanics Province of southeastern Australia and is actively engaged in geoscience outreach.

Joël's is using state-of-the-art experimental techniques (e.g., synchrotron) to provide a molecular-level understanding of the transport and deposition of metals and mineral-microbe-fluid interaction in geological environments.

My main interest is in the application of stable and radioactive / radiogenic isotopes to understand hydrological processes including groundwater-surface water interaction, residence times, and groundwater flow systems.

Peter's research interests include driving mechanisms of orogenesis, processes of generation and preservation of continental crust and continental and paleogeographic reconstructions. Peter is currently leading a new research initiative called "Pulse of the Earth" and recently launched a new multi-million dollar Isotope Facility.

Priyadarshi Chowdhury

Research Fellow

Priyadarshi's research focuses on the understanding of Precambrian lithosphere dynamics as well as on the formation and recycling of continental crust through the application of petrological studies and geodynamic modelling. He also performs diffusion-kinetics modelling to determine the timescales of geologic processes (geospeedometry)

Professor of Tectonics and Geodynamics and Head of the School, conducting research in areas of experimental tectonics, rates and dynamics of magma emplacement, precambrian Tectonics, intraplate geodynamics, magmatic arc tectonics and pure and applied structural geology.

My research is primarily at the interface of geomorphology and hydrology. I work almost exclusively on modern landscape processes, including ecohydrologic processes and hydro-geomorphology, with a particular focus on the Australian drylands.

Nick is a geochemist whose current research focuses on using geochemical and isotopic tools to constrain magmatic-metamorphic processes, especially the growth and development of Earth's early crust, and the petrogenetic controls on granite-hosted mineral deposits.

Christopher Gonzalez

Lachlan Grose

Sarah researches variability and change in fire weather, climate-wildfire links and prediction of seasonal wildfire activity. Sarah is also experienced in using remotely sensed data to map the extent and severity of fire activity.

Christian is Deputy Director of the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, where he is studying the effects of tropical convection on Australia's climate – how clouds affect weather.

Chen Li

Research Fellow

Chen is interested in the large-scale climate variability and dynamics, including ENSO, Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and monsoon system. As a part of the newly ARC-funded Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, her present work is focusing on developing the correction schemes in the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS) climate model to control the mean state in coupled model simulations.

Adam's research focusses on biogeochemistry - or how elements cycle through the environment. In particular, Adam is interested in how nutrients are processed, removed and recycled in sediments, such as in rivers, estuaries and coastal sands.

Malcolm King

Alex’s research focuses on using a wide range of geochemical tools, including radiogenic and novel stable isotope systems, to understand the processes involved in the formation, differentiation and evolution of our planet and its major geochemical reservoirs. Here at Monash as part of the “Pulse of the Earth" project he will be using novel stable isotopes to place better constraints on the mechanisms involved in the formation of the earliest continental crust.

Steven is establishing the Centre for Resource Science and Technology (CReST). My speciality is the application of new techniques in structural geology, tectonics and field methods, including drones, to ore deposit formation and exploration.

Jack Mulder

Research Fellow

Jack’s research interests include petrochronology, metamorphic petrology, plate reconstructions, and supercontinent cycles. His current research focuses on using detrital minerals to reconstruct the tectonic evolution of continents and to understand processes that bias the sedimentary record.

Sugata Narsey

Research Fellow

Sugata's research interests are broadly related to the dynamics associated with rainfall. These include tropical and mid-latitude atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric convection, and land-atmosphere interactions. He is currently researching the behaviour of extreme rainfall and its relationship to the large-scale state of the environment.

Oliver is a high-temperature geochemist with a focus on radiogenic and stable isotope research. His studies primarily circles around ocean floor rocks and the evolution of planetary reservoirs from the early stages of the planet to the present day.

Byju Pookkandy

Rahul Ram

Research Fellow

Rahul's research interests include geochemistry, hydrometallurgy, minerals processing, solution modelling and process flowsheets. He has worked previously at Rio Tinto G&I and Uni Cape Town, South Africa. He is currently working in the ARC Research Hub for Australian Copper-Uranium where he is developing and testing new, cost-effective ways to remove non-target metals from copper concentrates from ores.

Michael's research has been focused principally on the science of weather producing systems (such as fronts, extra-tropical cyclones, hurricanes, gravity waves).This work is a blend of theory, computer modelling and observations.

Ruth’s research interests include biogeography and biogeomorphology of temperate and tropical marine ecosystems such of mangrove, saltmarsh, coral reefs and seagrass; their response to environmental change, and role in climate change mitigation. Ruth applies experimental, laboratory, field and UAV/satellite approaches to the study of vegetation and coastal dynamics.

Tess Parker

Research Fellow

Tess is interested in the dynamics of weather, in particular high-impact events such as heat waves and droughts. Her research focuses on the mid-latitude troposphere and includes the large-scale dynamics of the jet streams, storm tracks and weather patterns such as blocking, as well as predictability on sub-seasonal to seasonal timescales.

Abhik's research focuses on the representation of the multi-scale tropical convective processes in climate models, particularly improving the performance of Australian Community Climate and Earth-System Simulator (ACCESS) in simulating tropical precipitation variability.

Martin's research focuses on the fluid dynamics of the tropical atmosphere. He is particularly interested in understanding how the distribution of precipitation, including precipitation extremes and thunderstorms, responds to changes in climate.

Joshua Soderholm

Research Fellow

Joshua is an observationist with a particular passion for thunderstorms, community engagement and open science. Currently he's building an open weather radar data archive and researching improvements for hail nowcasting.

Jeffrey's field of applied palaeontology focuses on ancient greenhouse Earth ecosystems and environments, especially in the southern regions of what was once the supercontinent of Gondwana (land), to use fossil data for 'Big Picture Science' in palaeontology and also for diverse industrial applications in basin analysis.

Nigel is involved in an expert panel on infrastructure and settlement of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the Cities as Water Supply Catchments program, helping to bring down the mercury in our urban areas and the planet as a whole.

Andy applies the principles of metamorphic petrology, as well as some structural geology and igneous petrology, to fields of geoscience where these principles have been somewhat neglected. This non-traditional application of petrology has allowed him to make unique contributions to the fields of economic geology and meteoritics/planetary science.

Jozua's research interests are, Physical Volcanology, Igneous Geochemistry of intraplate basaltic volcanism, Magma Transport Dynamics and Analogue Geodynamical Modelling of magma transport in the upper crust. He also teaches Volcanology, Igneous Petrology and Geochemistry in second and third year.

Roberto's main research activity is in the area of Igneous Petrology and Structural Geology, and the subareas of Granitic magmas, Crustal Melting and Melt Extraction, Lower Crustal Processes, Transport, Magmas and Lavas, Structural Geology, Extension Tectonics and Mountain Building

Bethan White

Research Fellow

Bethan's research interests are in the processes governing deep convection in the atmosphere and its interaction across scales. As part of the ARC-Funded Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science she is investigating the relationship of rainfall and atmospheric convection with tropical multi-scale dynamical systems. Her expertise is in high-resolution convection-permitting modeling, and her research background covers the microphysical and and dynamical processes of deep convection, convective organisation and feedbacks across scales, and the response of deep convective systems to aerosol perturbations

Vanessa's research focuses on soil-water interactions and soil biogeochemical processes, which is used to understand degraded environments, applied to remediation and rehabilitation activities, and improve land and water management strategies.

Xuan's research field is GIS and remote sensing with special interests in their applications in regional sustainable development, landscape evaluation, environmental decision analysis and modelling, and urban mining.

Peter examines past vegetation, climate and fire relationships through the application of pollen analysis and other palaeoecological techniques to swamp, lake and marine sediments within the Australian-Southeast Asian region. This information can be applied to informed landscape management and future environmental including climate prediction.

Pat is Interested in how life and the Earth have changed over 700 million years - especially early animals from the late Precambrian, the polar dinosaurs of Australia and the development of the Australian avifauna. Field work in remote areas and early childhood sciences education are her passions.

Geophysical data acquired by electromagnetic or seismic methods requires a range of time series, spectral and coherency analysis methodologies. Prof Asten has applied such methods to problems in mineral exploration, use of passive seismic methods for earthquake hazard zonation, and extraction of historical trends of natural climate change.

Barrie has specialist knowledge in the identification, monitoring and management of acid rock (mine) drainage, and acid sulphate soils, and research interests in environmental geochemistry and environmental management systems. He also has worked many years in the mining industry.

Reid's research interests are in the economic geology and lithogeochemistry and in particular the application of Platinum Group Element (PGE) Geochemistry to the development of genetic models and exploration techniques for Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide deposits and to the petrogenesis of mafic and ultramafic rocks.

Late Quaternary vegetation and climate in Victoria derived from the investigation of pollen and charcoal records; the pollen content of long term pollen traps in Queensland rainforest viewed in relation to the interpretation of relevant rainforest pollen diagrams.

Ian's research areas are the petrology and geochemistry of igneous rocks in a variety of tectonic settings, with emphasis on within-plate basaltic volcanism, island arc magmatism and granitic complexes.

Chris Wilson has published extensively in the geological and glaciological literature on the evolution of tectonic structures in rocks and ice for last 30 years. Chris is currently using a combination of field based structural analysis and geophysical techniques, experiments and numerical models to study microstructures and textures related to deformation in crustal rocks.

Leigh is an A Grade licensed Electrician with a MSc in Environmental Engineering. He has 10 years’ experience as a project manager in International Development, designing and building water and wastewater systems in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Haiti and as a disaster relief coordinator for RedR Australia. More recently Leigh worked as an energy consultant designing and implementing energy efficiency management plans for schools and the commercial sector. His key areas of interest include domestic sustainability and the use of innovative technologies for understanding the Natural environment.

9905 0828leigh.burgess@monash.edu

Tien Chin Chen

School Manager

9905 4884tien.chin.chen@monash.edu

Sook Chor

Administrative Assistant

9902 9081sook.chor@monash.edu

James Driscoll

Outreach Coordinator

James is one of the Outreach Co-ordinators for the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment and the Faculty of Science and lectures a third-year unit focussing on Environmental Change. In addition, he continues to research in the areas of Sedimentology, Basin Analysis, Petroleum Systems and Geothermal Energy.

I am currently researching the tectonic evolution of the Offshore Northwest Java region, with a focus on the structural and stratigraphic evolution of the Vera-Zaitun Basin and its petroleum potential.

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adriana.traviati@monash.edu

Alexander Kalintsev

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alexander.kalinstev@monash.edu

Alice Roberts

My project focuses on using structural, petrographic, and geochronological analyses to study the Main Central Thrust around the Tista Dome in the Himalayas in an attempt to understand how developing orogens respond to structural and lithological heterogeneity

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alice.roberts@monash.edu

Alison Davis

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alison.davis@monash.edu

Alok Chaudhari

I grew up and finished my honors in Geology from India and subsequently moved to Bayerisches Geoinstiut in Bayreuth Germany for my masters. After finishing my master in Experimental Geosciences, I'm here at Monash, working towards the completion of the hydrothermal high pressure - temperature apparatus at the department.

My Ph.D. project aims at developing a better understanding of the process of 'radiation induced porosity' in sulfide minerals. A better understanding of the microstructure framework at the nano - scale, would help us to address the radionuclide mobility in these minerals, which in turn could be used to develop potentially novel techniques of mineral processing.

I'll be performing high - pressure/temperature laboratory experiments to investigate the evolution of porosity at the nano scale and subsequently will deploy analytical techniques such as SEM FIB, X ray diffraction, and nano tomography using synchrotron radiation to get a 3D view of the process.

I'm collaborating closely with the ARC Research Hub for Australian Copper - Uranium and its participating universities, to develop an interdisciplinary insight into the research problem.

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alok.chaudhari@monash.edu

Amrei Ladwig

I am fascinated by doing research on the Early Earth, so I study the secular evolution of the continental crust throughout the Archean. I am working on TTG samples from the Barberton craton (ZA) and the Yilgarn craton (WA) to find some answers to the big questions of this Eon: How and when did plate tectonics start and under which circumstances did the first continental crust form? To figure this out, I analyse Rare Earth Elements (REE), Molybdenum and Strontium Isotopes.

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amrei.ladwig@monash.edu

Andrew Giles

My interests lie in unravelling the history of Gondwana from the Cretaceous through to today. Currently I’m focusing on understanding the mechanisms driving the change from passive margin to active subduction, by looking at the sedimentology and structure of the Hikurangi accretionary system, North Island, New Zealand.

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andrew.giles@monash.edu

Andrew Gordon

Using a combination of petrographic and geodynamical studies, my research aims to better understand the transport of magma through sills in the upper crust.

My project aims to understand the iron isotope geochemistry of jarosite, as well as the behaviour of iron and other trace elements during jarosite recrystallisation. My project will provide the very first dataset on the iron isotope geochemistry of jarosite, as well as provide insight into the geological process involved in the formation and recrystallisation of jarosite, with implications for acid sulphate soil formation and the evolution of the Martian environment.

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anne.whitworth1@monash.edu

Asha Vijayeta

"El Niño in a changing climate simulations".

El Niño mode will change its characteristics during the future climate change, but how is currently not well understood. Hence analysis of the state of the art IPCC climate change simulations and model simulation needs to be done. I conduct analysis of the CMIP database using different techniques particularly conceptual models to understand the dynamics of the simulated ENSO modes in the models and their changes. I will further conduct sensitivity studies using the Australian ACCESS model system.

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asha.vijayeta@monash.edu

Belinda Roux

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belinda.roux@monash.edu

Ben Knight

My research primarily focuses on the use of numerical models to represent large-scale geological conditions. During my masters, I focused on intra-oceanic incipient subduction, attempting to understand the key components of the transition from incipient subduction to self-sustaining subduction or the formation of stagnant lids. My PhD will focus on the evolution of the Himalayas, initially attempting to understand the geometry of the MHT in 2D. We then aim to move the model to 3D, to understand the large-scale structures of the Himalayas, including the salients, recesses arcs, salients, recesses arcs, oroclines and syntaxes observed in the Himalayan chain

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ben.knight@monash.edu

Cameron Henderson

My research aims to determine whether heatwave events are more or less predictable than "garden variety" summer weather, and investigate the physical reasons as to why this is the case, or not?

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cameron.henderson@monash.edu

Casey Blundell

My research is multidisciplinary. Integrating structural geology with geophysical methods, I aim to identify how strain from tectonic activity influences the localisation of gold.

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casey.blundell@monash.edu

Cassandra Rogers

My research uses observational data to examine the strength of the urban heat island during heatwaves in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

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cassandra.rogers@monash.edu

Celia Martinez Ramos

My PhD aims to understand the response of the vegetated foreshore to sea level rise by developing a modelling framework that integrates bio-physical and geomorphological processes.

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celia.martinezramos@monash.edu

Chang (Sophia) Xu

My research focuses on soil-water interactions and the mechanisms of soil biogeochemical process. My project aims to study the interactions between acid sulfate soil (ASS) and greenhouse gas generation potential in coastal wetlands under wet and dry conditions.

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chang.xu@monash.edu

Christian Stassen

My research is on understanding and simulating the large-scale Hydrological cycle, especially precipitation, and changes under global warming using a simplified model approach. I'm interested why precipitation tends to increase on the equatorial Pacific and in high latitudes and tends to decrease in some climatologically dry regions.

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christian.stassen@monash.edu

Chris Voisey

My research focus is to obtain a better understanding of the origin of auriferous fluids and mechanisms responsible for the formation of orogenic gold deposits. Using central Victoria as a natural laboratory, we combine innovative geochemistry and thermodynamic modelling to predict areas of gold localisation.

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christopher.voisey@monash.edu

Connor Turvey

I am primarily interested in environmental mineralogy and stable isotope geochemistry. Currently I am researching the CO2 sequestration potential of hydroalcite minterals, how we might trace the sequestration using stable isotopes and ultimately how we might remove attmospheric CO2 using carbonate minerals. The methods I use include powder X-ray diffraction and stable carbon and oxygen isotopic analysis.

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connor.turvey@monash.edu

Courtney Leigh

Using GIS to map and visualise World War II history and heritage in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.

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courtney.leigh@monash.edu

David Hoffmann

My PhD project will examine the atmospheric and land surface processes associated with decadal-scale variability in seasonal-scale drought risk in Australia and elsewhere. I will have a look on local atmospheric and land surface processes and large-scale teleconnection patterns and will compare between observations and climate model simulations.

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david.hoffmann@monash.edu

David Kinniburgh

"Coupled fire-atmosphere interactions".

The aim of my work is to use numerical modelling and high performance computing to determine what atmospheric conditions lead to erratic and sudden bursts in fire spread and intensity.

Currently I mainly focus on how tropical SST and extratropical SST front influenced storm track’s location shift and intensity change.

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dongxia.yang@monash.edu

Fahimeh Sarmadi

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fahimeh.sarmadi@monash.edu

Francisco Lang

My research focus is to characterize the Southern Ocean Atmospheric Boundary Layer in Response to the Synoptic Forcing (extra-tropical cyclones and fronts).

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francisco.lang@monash.edu

Frediano Clos

The aim of my project is to provide new structural, geochemical and metamorphic constraints on the evolution of the Archean Yalgoo Dome, a broad elliptical dome (50x100 km) in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia.

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frediano.clos@monash.edu

Gan Duan

My research focuses on the mechanisms for leaching and remobilizing metals in hydrothermal fluids. My PhD project aims at developing a framework for a molecular-level understanding of the interactions between fluid-flow, rock deformation, mineral reaction under conditions typical for ore formation.

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gan.duan@monash.edu

Giuseppe (Joseph) Oppedisano

I am a PhD Candidate for the ARC Linkage with the City of Greater Dandenong and Mooney Valley City Council. I am researching the impacts of extreme heat events on urban park vegetation and the micro climate.

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giuseppe.oppedisano@monash.edu

Guang Xu

My research topic is the application of deep learning and crowd-sourcing in environmental science.

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guang.xu@monash.edu

Hany Khalil

I am working on the genesis and tectonic evolution of the divergent triple Junctions and how they prograde through time using a combination of analogues and numerical modelling

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hany.khalil@monash.edu

Harry Madeley

My research focuses on helping to unravel the structural processes that have controlled and aided in the formation gold mineralisation within the world class and historic Victorian goldfields. Using 3D implicit modelling from data collected during mining and drilling operations at the Ballarat goldmine, I am aiming to create a computer based model that will help with the interpretation and understanding of what controls and localises gold mineralisation in the region. By better understanding the controls and structures hosting the gold, companies working in the region will be better able to plan and execute successful exploration programmes to further advance projects and mining in the region so its history lives on

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harry.madeley@monash.edu

Hoseong Lim

My PhD research currently aims clarifying the petrogenesis of Archean TTG. Because of its great age (>2.5 Ga), lots of vestiges in TTG have been missed and altered, while the chemistry conserved in the mineralized rock can be an essential tool. So I am particularly interested in using preserved geochemical data from minerals and mafic enclaves, to apply quantitative geochemical modelling.

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hoseong.lim@monash.edu

Jennifer Mitchell

I am using the petrology and geochemistry of meteorites through scanning electron microscopy and other techniques to investigate the differences between impact and thermal metamorphism on asteroids, and how planets formed in the early Solar System.

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jennifer.mitchell@monash.edu

Jingming Qian

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jingming.qian@monash.edu

Jonas Kopping

My current project focusses on the three-dimensional architecture and the structural controls on emplacement of elongated, finger-like magma conduits (a.k.a. chonoliths), which in many cases host Ni-Cu- Co-PGE mineralisation. In order to gather valid information for my research, I am planning to use 3D seismic reflection data interpretation, structural mapping and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry approach.

The objective of my project is to understand the tectonic evolution and implications for mineral system analysis of the Macquarie Arc from potential field geophysics.

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khumo.leseane@monash.edu

Lachlan Grose

Folds present a challenge for 3D modelling because the information associated with the geometry of the structure is not explicit in the orientation of the folded surface. My research involves characterising the geometry of folds from field observations (orientation of the folded surface, the plane of symmetry of the fold, location of fold closures and the direction of the fold). I use the characterisation of fold geometry to help build a model of the geometry resulting from one or more folding events. I am developing new methods for interpolating the geometry of the folded surfaces as well as methods to build a series of models representing the uncertainty of the geometry of these surfaces.

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lachlan.grose@monash.edu

Leslie Kriesfeld

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leslie.kriesfeld@monash.edu

Liam Morrisroe

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liam.morrisroe1@monash.edu

Lian (Lynn) Wu

My project is mainly about using LiDAR sensor (potentially other remote sensors) for generating 3D crop structure information, in order to have a more effective and precise crop management. One of the main objectives of this project is to develop a practical methodology for applying LiDAR data in crop management and precision agriculture, which can effectively reduce the negative impacts of harmful chemical to the environment and humans and also minimise the cost.

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lian.wu@monash.edu

Luis Ackermann

Luis Ackermann has a BSc in Physics and an MSc in Atmospheric Sciences, both from the University of Houston where he worked as a Researcher 1 for 4 years. He then worked 5 years as a Research Associate at Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) leading the air quality and meteorology measurement and characterization pillar.

His current PhD research will identify how the complex mountain terrain across the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania alters key dynamical and microphysical mechanisms that produce wintertime precipitation. This will be achieved by using newly available satellite-based data and dedicated field observations.

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luis.ackermann@monash.edu

Marianne Richter

My research focuses on radiogenic and stable isotopes of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) in order to understand the Pb isotope evolution in the Earth’s upper mantle. I am also interested in Th-U/Pb dating of accessory minerals, such as monazite, and the development of analytical methods (e.g., LA-ICP-MS).

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marianne.richter@monash.edu

Martin Schwindinger

My project focusses on the different aspects of generation and evolution of granitic magmas in a near source environment by studying migmatites and related intrusive granites in the southern Adelaide fold belt (Kangaroo Island). My goal is to contribute to the ongoing debate about the significance of water-fluxed melting, magma mixing and entrainment of source material in the formation of granitic magmas.

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martin.schwindinger@monash.edu

Matthias Retsch

My project is about finding processes which control the organisation of deep atmospheric convection, as seen in radar observations from Darwin. To determine such processes I will make use of neural nets, linking the observational data with the large-scale atmospheric state. Once the important processes are pinned down, I will assess their representation in numerical models and, if not or poorly represented, implement them into the model.

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matthias.retsch@monash.edu

Mathias Zeller

Mathias did Bachelor's degree in Physical Oceanography, followed by a Master's degree in Integrated Climate System Science, bother at the University of Hamburg, Germany.

His current PhD research involves using a high-resolution ocean model to look at the drivers of Pacific Ocean decadal variability in order to link this variability to ENSO.

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mathias.zeller@monash.edu

Matthew Peck

My project aims to determine the responses of ecosystems within the Victorian coastal zone to current and future variations in these environmental systems as a result of historic, current, and projected climatic changes. Specifically, my research investigates this broad aim through a range of different experiments in the field and in mesocosms via the use of: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), remote sensing, flux monitoring, and climate modelling to determine the extent to which the coastal zone will be impacted upon by the effects of climate change.

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matthew.peck@monash.edu

Megan Cook

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Megan Withers

My project aims to update and advance understanding in the geologic structure of the Kaikoura region of South Island, New Zealand; a region that forms a transition zone between subduction and continental collision.

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Mitchell O'Mara

My research involves a multi-scale approach to analysing the evolution of the late Cambrian-Early Ordovician rifts in northern and western Tasmania, Australia. By using detailed process sedimentology, analysing stratigraphic stacking patterns and regional structural mapping, I plan to unravel the unique depositional environments present during the early stages of rifting and explore the evolution of the rift system as a whole through time.

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mitchell.j.omara@monash.edu

Mustapha Adamu

My research aims to understand the concurrent variability of precipitation and other weather parameters during multi-year and seasonal-scale drought. I will examine how the characteristics of seasonal scale drought (e.g. frequency, severity, duration) vary with changes to multi-year precipitation. This will be achieved by analysing precipitation trends during seasonal and multi-year drought in both global observations and climate model data. We aim to be able to gain understanding of characteristics of drought and how well it is characterized in climate models.

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mustapha.adamu@monash.edu

Nathan Gardiner

Recent Neogene tectonics and the evolution of the Marlborough Fault System, New Zealand. Looking at the interplay between rapidly evolving plate margin tectonics and sedimentary basin evolution. The Marlborough area contains spectacular structural examples from a complex tectonic evolution, which was synchronous with the deposition of a nearly complete marine transgressive sequence. My project aims to leverage this stratigraphy to deconstruct the recent history of shear offset, compression, rotation and uplift.

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nathan.gardiner@monash.edu

Nicholas Hunter

In my project I am using microstructures and textures of mylonitic rocks to develop methods through which the structural and dynamic properties of crustal shear zones can be quantitatively described.

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nicholas.hunter@monash.edu

Owen Missen

After completing my masters in chemistry at Melbourne University while working predominantly on tellurium minerals in the geosciences department of Museum Victoria, I have switched universities and departments for my PhD. My research focuses on the geochemistry of tellurium in surface environments, from crystallography to mineralogy to microecology. Tellurium typically associates with silver and gold, but unlike these precious metals, comparatively little study on the geochemistry of tellurium has been undertaken. Potential applications of understanding new (biogeo) chemical pathways for tellurium transport are in mineral exploration; in mining waste piles; in remediation; and/or in recycling. Outside of studying I enjoy tennis, bushwalking, cycling and reading.

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owen.missen@monash.edu

Pablo Farias

"Understanding the complex structured architecture of a long-lived HT-LP continental back-arc and its relation with the magmatic arc".

I am studying the structural and magmatic evolution of an ancient orogen that formed part of the West Gondwana supercontinent and is now located near the Argentinian Andes. This study will help geoscientists to better understand the tectonic frame of mountain belts and how they evolve in time.

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pablo.farias@monash.edu

Paul Michaut

My PhD seeks to determine the fate of rare earth elements during various fluid-rock interactions, with particular focus on metamorphic and hydrothermal fluids. Using robust analytical techniques such as SEM, LA-ICPMS, MC-ICP-MS, EMP and synchrotron beamlines, I hope to broaden the understanding behind the behaviour and mineralization styles of rare earth elements.

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paul.michaut@monash.edu

Peter van Rensch

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peter.vanrensch@monash.edu

Prasanna Gunawardana

My research interest is multidisciplinary and mainly associated with the numerical geodynamic modelling of internal processes of the earth. I am trying to accumulate the regional models related to mantle convection (subduction, upwelling, mantle plume) to a single 3D spherical whole earth model. I am also curious and studying how the formation of the universe and formation of the earth can be connected according to the Theoretical Physics.

Nearly 700 million people are affected by volcanic risk, yet our capacity to predict volcanic events is limited. We are using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based mapping technologies to characterise the distributions of intrusions in otherwise inaccessible terrain, allowing us to better understand the effect of intrusions on volcano dynamics and stability and contributing to our ability to mitigate volcanic risk.

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sam.thiele@monash.edu

Sarah Heard

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sarah.heard@monash.edu

Sarah Perry

My research investigates how the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the largest source of inter-annual global climate variability, is being affected by anthropogenic climate change and how this will affect us in return through atmospheric teleconnections over land.

Room 221Ext 54479

sarah.perry@monash.edu

Saskia Ruttor

The goal of my PhD research is the study of Fe-isotopes in Ocean Island lavas (such as Hawaii). With this, I aim for an advanced understanding of the chemical composition of mantle plumes and the chemical structure of the deep Earth's interior. I want to show that Fe-isotopes can be used to identify the mineralogy of depleted and enriched components within OIBs and with this help to identify the mantle heterogeneity.

My research is looking at rainfall over north-western Australia and evaluating how the dynamical systems responsible for the rainfall are changing.

Room 216Ext 54475

scott.clark@monash.edu

Shovon Barua

My research project is exploring geochemical tracers of catchment processes. The study is integrating environmental isotopes together with major ion geochemistry, streamflow data, and groundwater elevations to understand the location and fluxes of groundwater to rivers, the residence time of water in river catchments, and whether different stores of water are activated under different flow conditions. The investigation is also emphasizing the combination of geochemical and physical data to achieve an understanding of key processes that impact the water balance and water quality in rivers.

Room 132 Ext 59701

shovon.barua@monash.edu

Sike (Lydia) Li

Room 230Ext 54457

sike.li@monash.edu

Silvia Duarte

My research focuses on subduction dynamics. I aim to model the interaction between subducting plates and mantle plumes, using a 3D numerical approach

Room 132Ext 59701

silvia.duarte@monash.edu

Son Truong

My research aims to characterize the southern ocean atmospheric boundary layer in response to the synoptic forcing (e.g. mid-latitude cyclones and fronts) through a combination of observational data and model simulation.

Room 225Ext 54458

son.truong@monash.edu

Sonja Neske

My project focuses on understanding the dynamics driving the El Niño- Southern Oscillation (ENSO). I am using a wind forced ocean model to decompose the equatorial Pacific warm water volume (the precursor of ENSO events) into the adjusted wind response and the instantaneous wind response. This way the debate about a self-sustained cyclic ENSO view (driven by the adjusted wind response) vs. an event-like ENSO view (driven by the instantaneous wind response) is addressed.

Room 221Ext 54479

sonja.neske@monash.edu

Stacey Osbrough

Room 225Ext 54458

stacey.osbrough@monash.edu

Tobias Hens

Tobias undertakes research on the controlling mechanisms of trace element cycling and enrichment in marine ferromanganese nodules, crusts and synthetic manganese oxides.

Room 132Ext 59701

tobias.hens@monash.edu

Toban Wild

Keystones in East Gondwana breakup: palaeontology and provenance of sedimentary strata from Batavia and Gulden Draak knolls, Perth Abyssal Plain, eastern Indian Ocean.

My research focuses on the metal complexation with ligands and their transportation in hydrothermal fluids, with special interests on Fe, U and REE. Another part of my research aims to understand the behaviour of fluorine in hydrothermal fluids and their role on leaching and transporting metals.

Room 109Ext 55768

yanlu.xing@monash.edu

Yuval Sadeh

Room 225Ext 54458

yuval.sadeh@monash.edu

Zoe Gillet

Room 111b Ext 55734

zoe.gillet1@monash.edu

Zuhair Mohd

I hail from a place in India that is just a few kilometers away from the most active Himalayan thrust zone, Main Central Thrust (MCT). I was eager to know about the ‘ghost’ that often scared me by shaking my bed when I was a child. My curiosity was deepened for the Geohazards after 2004 Sumatra tsunami, when my heart went out for those who lost their lives in this nightmare. I knew that geoscience would answer my all queries. My desire for knowledge bent me and I have realized that in order to shoot the moon, I must revolutionize and explore the answers for myself. What started as an enigma, is now the aim of my life and I’ve started to unravel it as a PhD student at Monash University.

The project emphases on seismicity due to the collision of the Indo-Australian and the Asian plates: from deep mantle dynamics to mega-earthquakes. I will be contributing to Seismotectonics and Subduction Dynamics of the area using Statistical and Numerical modeling, respectively. This project aims to define a unified model that explains the occurrence of tectonics along plate margins and stress coupling, from the geological long-term to the short-time scale of earthquakes.